Separation method and separation device

Abstract

A separation method performs steps continuously and leads a solvent in which a separation object component is dissolved and a remaining fluid out of settlers under a separated state. The method includes leading a light fluid with a smaller specific gravity within the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved at the dissolution step and the remaining fluid out of settlers through upper side leading paths, and leading a heavy fluid with a larger specific gravity within the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved and the remaining fluid out of the settlers through lower side leading paths. A flow rate of the light fluid is controlled such that the height position of an interface between the light fluid and the heavy fluid within the settlers is maintained between the height position of connection parts of the upper side leading paths and the height position of connection parts of the lower side leading paths to the settlers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A separation method for separating a specific component from the object fluid by dissolving the specific component in a solvent from the object fluid containing the specific component, comprising the steps of:
 dissolving the specific component in the solvent from the object fluid within microchannels by feeding the object fluid and the solvent in a state of a slag flow or a two-layer flow to the microchannels;   introducing the fluid discharged from the microchannels into settlers and separating the fluid into a fluid comprising the solvent in which the specific component is dissolved and a remaining fluid by a specific gravity difference within the settlers;   leading a light fluid which is one fluid with a smaller specific gravity among the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved and the remaining fluid out of the settlers through upper side leading paths connected to the settlers and leading a heavy fluid which is one fluid with a larger specific gravity among the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved and the remaining fluid out of the settlers through lower side leading paths connected to the settlers at a position lower than connection parts of the upper side leading paths to the settlers; and   controlling at least one flow rate of a flow rate of the light fluid led out of the settlers to the upper side leading paths and a flow rate of the heavy fluid led out of the settlers to the lower side leading paths such that the height position of an interface between the light fluid and the heavy fluid within the settlers is maintained between the height position of the connection parts of the upper side leading paths to the settlers and the height position of connection parts of the lower side leading paths to the settlers.   
     
     
         2 . The separation method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a separation operation including the dissolution step, the separation step, the leading step, and the flow rate control step is repeatedly performed a plurality of times, and   in the dissolution step of the succeeding stage separation operation among the plurality of separation operations, the fluid corresponding to the remaining fluid among the light fluid led out to the upper side leading path and the heavy fluid led out to the lower side leading path at the leading step of the previous separation operation is fed to the microchannel as the object fluid and the specific component remaining in the fluid is dissolved in the solvent.   
     
     
         3 . The separation method according to  claim 2 , wherein
 in the separation step of the specific separation operation among the plurality of separation operations, the fluid corresponding to the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved among the light fluid led out to the upper side leading path and the heavy fluid led out to the lower side leading path at the leading step of the following separation operation is fed to the microchannel as the solvent.   
     
     
         4 . A separation device for separating a specific component from the object fluid by dissolving the specific component in a solvent from the object fluid containing the specific component, comprising:
 microchannels for feeding the object fluid and the solvent in a state of a slag flow or a two-layer flow and dissolving the specific component in the solvent from the object fluid;   settlers connected to the microchannels so as to introduce the fluid discharged from the microchannels therein for separating the fluid discharged from the microchannels into a fluid comprising the solvent in which the specific component is dissolved and a remaining fluid by a specific gravity difference;   upper side leading paths connected to the settlers for leading a light fluid which is one fluid with a smaller specific gravity among the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved and the remaining fluid out of the settlers;   lower side leading paths connected to the settlers at a position lower than connection parts of the upper side leading paths to the settlers for leading a heavy fluid which is one fluid with a larger specific gravity among the fluid in which the specific component is dissolved and the remaining fluid out of the settlers; and   a flow rate control device for controlling at least one flow rate of a flow rate of the light fluid led out of the settlers to the upper side leading paths and a flow rate of the heavy fluid led out of the settlers to the lower side leading paths such that the height position of an interface between the light fluid and the heavy fluid within the settlers is maintained between the height position of the connection part of the upper side leading paths to the settlers and the height position of connection parts of the lower side leading paths to the settlers.